Rain's Gift
by angelDC
Summary: [FINISHED] One rainy day, a puppy was found in a worn out basket. Fuji took it home in his and Tezeka's apartment...witness how this puppy became a gift for both of them by nature...TezukaFuji
1. Chapter 1

**Rain's Gift**

-clavee-

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Author's note: It's been a long time; thank goodness I was able to come up with another fanfic featuring Fuji and Tezuka again. Hope you like it, please read and review! Thanks:D

Disclaimer: I don't own PoT.

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_Chapter 1: Finding Rain_

It was raining hard that afternoon, the dark rain clouds have fully covered the blue sky and the bright sun that was shining the whole morning until noon. Fuji Syusuke, now a sophomore college student majoring in Literature, is running as fast as he could to save himself from the rain that was falling hard from the sky. He was on his way back to the apartment he was staying with an umbrella in hand, not caring whether his bag is swinging madly behind him or his shoes and pants are getting soak in the water. All he cared about is getting back to his apartment so that he could dry himself up and get himself starting on his school works. He wished he was not this busy so that he would not be running like this in the rain, he would love to watch the rain for as long as he wants.

Finally, Fuji had reached the final turn in his right leading to his apartment. When he made his turn, he stopped his tracks in a snap, thinking that heard a soft moaning somewhere to his side. He walked a few steps back and saw a worn out basket beside the trash cans, the moaning is clearly heard when he bent down and reached for the cloth that was in the basket. His eyes opened widely in surprise when he saw drenched white puppy with black spots on its right eye and left ear.

Smiling, Fuji clipped his umbrella on his neck as he lifted the puppy from the basket and cuddle it to his chest.

'_How cute_,' Fuji thought as he watched the puppy shifted itself on a more comfortable position, '_how long have you been here? You're probably feeling cold and hungry now…Poor thing, why would anyone leave you alone just like this?_'

Sighing, he stood up still carrying the cuddly thing in his arms as he resumed on walking back to his apartment, thinking about heartless people doing cruel things to animals. Luckily, the management allows pets inside the building, if not, he would definitely be so sorry if he would leave the puppy alone in the rain. Fuji closed his umbrella as he steps in the building and to the elevator up to the fourth floor. When the elevator finally stopped to his desired floor, he went off and walked along the hallway until he reached Room 419. He fished out his keys from his pockets and opened the door; he took off his shoes and re-opened his umbrella as he got inside to place it on the side for drying up. Walking further inside, he threw his bag on the sofa and went straight to the laundry and settled the drowsy, drenched puppy on the sink.

"I hope you're not sick," Fuji said, talking to the puppy, as he got himself a dry towel which he used to dry the puppy's fur.

After the puppy had totally dried up, Fuji brought it to his room and settled it down on his carpeted floor. As the puppy started rolling itself on the carpet, Fuji took his towel from his chair and swung it over his shoulder, and went to his closet to take out some fresh and dry clothes.

"Now, don't go messing around, okay?" Fuji told the cuddly creature, who scampered at his feet to follow him out of the room. "I'll just take a quick shower and I'll be back in just a few minutes."

Fuji went out of his room and closed the door before he went to the bathroom. After fifteen minutes, he finished his shower but went first to the living room to get his bag in the sofa before proceeding to his room. When he got to his room, he placed his bag on his bed properly, threw his clothes in the hamper, and hanged his towel on his chair's backrest. He took his laptop from his desk and placed it on his bed, then picked up the puppy that is jumping its way up to his bed with no slight success.

"The bed's too high for you, ne," Fuji said to the puppy, chuckling. Breathing deeply, he placed the puppy on his bed, he asked, "What should I call you? You're a boy but there's only a 0.1 for me to guess the exact name your owner gave you…so I guess I should give you a new name, what do you think? Hmm…"

Fuji started working up his brain to think of a perfect name for the puppy.

"Should I call you 'Yuuta'? 'Kunimitsu'?" Fuji laughed at his silly ideas as the puppy cocked his head to the side, watching him, "Maybe I should ask Eiji…"

Taking out his cellphone from his bag, Fuji dialed Kikumaru's number. He sat on the bed and stroked the puppy's head playfully as he wait for Kikumaru to answer, finally –

"The number is unattended or out of the coverage area, please try your call later…" Fuji heard the operator answer.

"Eiji might still be in class…" Fuji sighed, placing his cellphone beside his laptop, "I should come up with a name for you on my own then," he said, "What about 'Rain'? I think that's nice since that's where I found you and I love rain as well…What do you think?"

The puppy barked and began to wag its tail energetically.

Fuji laughed, happy to the puppy's response.

"Now, I know you're probably hungry now but since I have nothing to feed you, I think I'll need to go to our next-door neighbor, Mrs. Ishikawa, to ask if I could have some dog food, ne?" Fuji said who is staring at him as if it is intently listening to him, "She has two St. Bernards, you see…don't worry, I'll buy you your own food and bowl tomorrow…wait for me here."

With that, Fuji walked out of his room and shut his door gently.

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To be continued…

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	2. Chapter 2

**Rain's Gift**

-clavee-

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Author's notes: Thank you guys for your reviews, hehe, now I feel pressured! Just kidding, but seriously, hehe. Hope you like this next chapter:D

Disclaimer: I don't own Prince of Tennis.

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_Chapter 2: Meeting Rain_

'_Being a student assistant is not very easy_,' Tezuka thought as he parked his car in front of a building. Again, it was already 8:00 in the evening – the same time that he usually got back to his apartment. Now, he is a sophomore college student majoring in Social Studies, he has classes in the morning, library time in the afternoon and part-time job from 4:30 in the afternoon up 7:30 in the evening.

If only he was still a junior high or a high school student, having this much load is never a burden, but his professors in all his subjects are 100 demanding than it was then. The only chance that he got to finish his school works are from evening until dawn, then sleeping for only three to five hours before going back to school again the next day. Tezuka leaned himself to the elevator walls as he wait for it to stop in the fourth floor, if only the elevator ride is not that short, he will take this chance to take a nap.

The elevator stopped in the fourth floor after a half minute or so, Tezuka then straightened himself and went out to the hallway. His brain wants to shut down and his body wants to slack down after a long, tiring day. Breathing deeply, he turned his head to the right and saw that he was already two rooms away from his unit, sighing, he turn to his back and walked up to Room 419, now, looking at the door numbers intently in order not to get pass it again.

When he reached Room 419, he took out his keys from his pocket and opened the door. The apartment was dark, the living room light was not yet on – people will definitely think that there is no one home. Sighing for the nth time that day, he took off his shoes and walked in carefully further inside through the dark. He reached for the wall and creep his hand to the light's switch for the whole living room to finally light up. Afterwards, he went to his room to put all his things but decided to drop his housemate a visit.

The other bedroom door was slightly open and there is no light coming out, Tezuka peeked inside, expecting he would see a sleeping Fuji in his bed but he was wrong. Fuji was still wide awake, sitting in his bed and working on something in his laptop.

Sighing again, Tezuka slipped his hand inside and reached for the light's switch on the wall and switched the light on.

Fuji was surprised, he looked up to his ceiling where the light bulb emits white light in his room and turned to the door, "Tezuka," Fuji said, still surprised, "you're home already, I didn't hear you coming in."

"For the millionth time, Fuji, switch on the light while you're working," Tezuka told Fuji in a commanding tone, disregarding Fuji's surprised reaction.

"Gomen, I forgot again," Fuji replied, smiling which made Tezuka felt annoyed, "I started working this afternoon, I didn't noticed that the sun has already set, and –" Fuji bent his head near in directly on his desktop to read the time, "– it's almost 8:30 in the evening, time flies so fast, doesn't it?"

Tezuka did not give any comment on Fuji's last words of excuse, but just grunted, "Just please, again Fuji, next time…"

"Hai," Fuji assured, nodding, for the millionth time since they have been housemates, "I promise."

"Have you already eaten dinner already?" Tezuka asked, changing the subject, leaving the matter that he believed will never be settled. He knows that there is no use even if he pointed out that he had promised that for who knows when.

"Iie," Fuji answered, shaking his head, as he went back to his work, "I told you, I've been working since this afternoon…I haven't left this room since then."

"Come then," Tezuka called him, holding up a plastic bag, "I bought food in a fast food chain just outside the school."

"Really?" Fuji asked, quickly getting up from his bed and went to Tezuka, "I'll take those," he said, taking the plastic from Tezuka's hand, "you go and change your clothes first."

Tezuka gave the plastic to Fuji without any protest and watched him as he went to the kitchen; he gave a small smile and stifled a yawn before proceeding to his room, not noticing a white, cuddly, four-legged being went out of Fuji's room.

After about five minutes, Tezuka finally went to the kitchen where he can smell something cooking. He went to the kitchen counter to help Fuji set the table as Fuji was standing in front of the stove, still doing something.

"Is it still raining hard?" Fuji asked suddenly, stirring the soup he was cooking.

"Not as hard as this afternoon," Tezuka told Fuji as he took two plates from a rack, "just drizzles."

"Great, that means you won't mind of having a soup, then," Fuji said happily, "I wasn't able to notice the rain from my window since I was really busy."

Tezuka stared at Fuji, '_Fuji_ _failed to notice the rain? That's something new_,' he thought to himself. "Where were you this afternoon? Did you still go to the library?" he asked as he placed the two plats to the table.

"Hai, but I left as quickly as possible because of the rain," Fuji answered, taking a sip of the soup.

"How did you get back here?" Tezuka asked again as he went back to the counter to get utensils for both of them.

"I ran," Fuji answered, simply.

"Ran?" Tezuka repeated, dropping the utensils to the floor before he had finally set them to the table.

"Hai," Fuji answered, turning to Tezuka with a confused look, "I planned to ride a taxi but there was none so…I ran." He explained, as if explaining why one plus one equals to two to a preschool student.

Tezuka went in front of Fuji, "Why did you run in the rain? You can get sick," he said, trying to steady his voice as much as he could, "you could've called be or texted me on my cellphone so that I could've dropped you here."

Fuji chuckled, "Honestly, you don't have to worry, I'm alright," he told Tezuka, going back to the soup, "I don't get sick so easily, so stop worrying, ne?"

"Says who?" Tezuka muttered as silent as he could so that Fuji would not hear it for it might start a long argument and he does not want any of those as of the moment since he feels he has been having a migraine ever since this afternoon.

Not saying anything about the matter anymore, Tezuka knelt down to the floor to pick up the utensils he accidentally dropped. He had already picked up the two spoons and one of the forks, but the other was further under the table that he needed to bent more and to lift the table cloth up to get the other fork. So he did what he must, but when his head was under the table, his eyes widened in surprise as he was eye-to-eye with a certain creature with white face and black spotted right eye.

He blinked a few times to see that he was not imagining things, but the creature was not disappearing in front of him. Again, he closed his eyes tightly and opened them once more, but the face was still there.

Fuji turned to the table, about to set the soup on the surface, but was confused to see Tezuka was still under the table. He was about to walk to the kitchen counter when he heard a soft bark from somewhere – from under the table.

"Tez–" Fuji began, but Tezuka had already reappeared from under the table, glaring at him hardly. "Te-Tezuka, what's the matter?"

"Fuji, what is this?" Tezuka asked, holding up a puppy from under the table, eyes twitching.

"That's…hmm…" Fuji giggled, nervously, "That's Rain."

And Tezuka felt his migraine got worse.

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To be continued…

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	3. Chapter 3

**Rain's Gift**

-clavee-

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Author's note: Thanks again for your reviews! Here's the third chapter of "Rain's Gift", I feel pressured since school will start next week so I might not update this story as soon as possible but it's close to finish now so please be patient guys – I think there's only one chapter left! Thanks!

Disclaimer: For the nth time, I don't own Prince of Tennis.

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_Chapter 3: Living with Rain_

"Nya, he's so cute!"

Tezuka heard Kikumaru exclaimed from the living room – Oishi and Kikumaru visits Tezuka and Fuji's apartment once in a while. It has been a week since the puppy have started to live with Tezuka and Fuji, and to Tezuka's opinion, it was doing them no good. As the matter of fact, Tezuka has been trying to figure out why he agreed and allowed Fuji to keep the puppy.

'_I allowed him to keep that puppy so that we won't have arguments_,' he reminded himself for the thousandth time that week, as he removed his glasses and leaned back on his chair, and putting his hands on his face.

_Tezuka_ _put the puppy down and walked to the living room, trying to cool himself down. He does not want to have any heated discussion with Fuji; it has been the number one thing he avoids to have – especially with Fuji – since it always ended up with both of them yelling at each other and one of them walking or running out of the house or locking up in their room. For him, Fuji_ _has a tendency to be childish, stubborn and sensitive, attitudes he does not know that Fuji_ _has – not until they started being housemates – making it hard to explain things to him. Sighing heavily in aggravation, Tezuka sat down on the sofa, stopping himself from shouting at Fuji._

_Fuji quickly picked up the puppy from the floor, carried it in his arms, and followed Tezuka on the living room. He was not able to think about on how he will tell Tezuka about this matter, so he was getting panicked at the moment, feeling he made Tezuka angry._

"_Isn't he cute, Tezuka?" Fuji said with a nervous smile, trying to break the tensed atmosphere that is starting to build up._

_Tezuka_ _turned to him and to the puppy, and sighed again, "Where did you get that?"_

"_That? Don't talk like that, he's a living thing too, a mammal like us," Fuji told him as he held the puppy up to Tezuka's face, frowning, "its a boy, so use pronouns…and he's name is Rain."_

"_Ok, gomen ne," Tezuka muttered, knowing Fuji_'_s childishness is about to come out and his temper rising higher, "so, where did you get him?" he asked again, backing away from the puppy._

_Smiling, Fuji_ _took the puppy away from Tezuka's face and cuddled it to his arms, adorably, "I found him this afternoon at a worn out basket among the garbage, just there in the corner of the street."_

"_Are you going to keep him?" Tezuka asked, swallowing nervously, anxious to hear the answer that is so obvious since it was Fuji_ _he was talking to._

"_Why not?_ _I don't think the owner will still look for him," Fuji_ _replied, sitting beside Tezuka, "I mean, I found him in the garbage, it was obviously put there."_

_Sighing in defeat, Tezuka stood up and asked, "Where's he going to sleep?"_

"_It depends," Fuji_ _answered, looking up._

_Tezuka_ _narrowed his eyes, "What do you mean?"_

"_He could sleep in my room," Fuji_ _told him, "or in yours, if you want to," he added, smiling._

"_Iie," Tezuka snapped, making Fuji_ _look at him in alarm, "I mean, he's totally yours," he explained, trying to sound gentle as much as possible._

"_Arigatou, Tezuka," Fuji_ _said, happily, putting down the puppy to the floor and walking towards Tezuka, "come, let's eat now, I'm so hungry." He told him, pulling him to the kitchen._

Tezuka repeated the scene in his mind again that day, cursing himself for being so nice. He should have told Fuji that he do not want the puppy in the apartment from the very beginning even if it will result to another argument with him since they had been having a lot of those after that night. Shaking his head, he shifted his position properly so that he could start working again on his laptop. Just then, he was bothered by a knock on his slightly opened door.

Turning to his door, Tezuka saw Oishi leaning inside with a smile.

"Can I come in?" Oishi asked, as his one hand on the doorknob and the other on the doorframe.

Tezuka nodded and turned back to his work.

"So, what do you think about Rain?" Oishi asked, walking in and sitting on Tezuka's bed.

"Don't ask me, I'm not fond of pets," Tezuka answered, typing something on the keyboard very fast.

"I see, so does Fuji know that?" Oishi inquired, scanning Tezuka's books and notes that are laid on the bed.

"Why does he need to know that?" Tezuka asked back, not taking his eyes from the laptop's screen.

"Fuji's a sensitive person," Oishi explained, "he would let the puppy go."

Tezuka raised an eyebrow and smirked, "I don't think so," he muttered, remembering the time when he suggested that the puppy should be given to another person, he regretted doing so since it almost made Fuji throw him out of the apartment.

"Really? But you tried to make him let go of the puppy, right?" Oishi asked.

"I did," Tezuka answered simply, "once. When he had gone mad when that puppy got sick, last Saturday to be exact, when there was another strong rain, he ran out of the apartment and went to the veterinarian," he explained further.

"And it resulted to another fight," Oishi added, shaking his head, knowing that Fuji has gotten careless ever since they stepped into college, remembering one time that he got sick and still insisted on going to school where he fainted on the way and almost got hit by a truck.

"Yes, he got sick the next day," Tezuka said, remembering what happened, "I told him that the puppy has to go if he will be acting like that," he continued, and breathed deeply, "and he called me cruel and heartless," he finished bitterly.

"Seems Rain is driving Fuji farther away from you, ne, Tezuka?" Oishi commented, looking at Tezuka innocently.

Tezuka sighed, knowing that Oishi is starting to tease him again. Oishi has been pointing to him that he likes Fuji more than he thought of, but for him, all of those are nonsense and false. He knows that Oishi and Kikumaru are together ever since their freshmen year in high school and that is fine with him, but he could not imagine himself being in such situation. However, no matter how many times he tell Oishi that Fuji is just a close friend to him, Oishi still disregards it and continued on pointing out that he do like Fuji more than as a friend.

"Not again, Oishi," Tezuka said, leaning back on his chair again after clicking the 'save' icon, "don't tell me you're going to go through it again."

"Oh come on, Tezuka, it's all pretty clear but it's only you who doesn't notice it," Oishi told his friend, moving to the part of the bed that is beside Tezuka, "like now, it's obvious that you're getting jealous."

"Jealous?" Tezuka snapped, feeling his face turn red, "Why would I be jealous? Because of the puppy?" he questioned further to his friend, sensing another migraine coming up – he is having a dozen of migraine per day since the puppy arrived. "Why would I be jealous just because of a puppy?"

Oishi laughed at Tezuka's reaction, he had never seen Tezuka this defensive, "Because you 'like' Fuji, maybe even 'in love' for that matter," Oishi said for the millionth time since their high school days, "you're always worried about him, it's not natural for you to worry, but you're always frantic when it comes to Fuji," he pointed out to Tezuka, "you always insist on taking care of him even if he gets angry at you for interfering in his life, even if he told you to mind your own business for countless times and having a huge quarrel between the two of you, " he continued, smiling, "and know you can't get to like Rain because no matter how adorable he is, he still pull Fuji away from you," he added, chuckling, "now, don't tell me that's not 'like' or 'love', huh, Tezuka?"

Tezuka glared at Oishi, he hated this conversation ever since he had been having it with his best friend, but even though how much he hated it he cannot help but agree on some of his points. Yes, it is true that he always worry about Fuji especially when he gets careless at times, it is true that he wants to take care of him even if Fuji is very angry at him after an argument, and now, it is true that he cannot get to like the puppy even if it is the cutest thing on earth. However, he does not know if it is because he is jealous or not, he just hates the puppy because he is not fond of animals and also because it is making Fuji more careless about things and to himself and he do not want Fuji to get into any catastrophe.

"Hey," Oishi called Tezuka's attention back from his thoughts, "I got you thinking there…so, are you going to finally admit that I'm right?"

Getting more annoyed, Tezuka turned back to his laptop, and asked, "What if I don't?"

Oishi sighed, and said, "Then you're going to hear about this over and over again."

Tezuka smirked, "You should've told me that before so that I would've admitted it from the very beginning, then you won't need to repeat those things over and over again."

"Ne, that's not right," Oishi objected, "admitting something that's not true is wrong."

"But you are pointing about things that are not right," Tezuka told him, "what if I'm doing those things to him because I am just a concern about him."

Oishi rested his elbows to his knees and his chin on the back of his joined hands, thinking, he knows that what he is feeling is right, Tezuka does not see it yet. "Who's your best friend, Tezuka?" he asked suddenly.

Tezuka looked at Oishi, confused, '_What's gotten to him_?'

"Tezuka, answer me," Oishi demanded.

Sighing, Tezuka answered, "You."

"Then why don't I see or feel that kind of concern from you?" Oishi asked sulkily, Tezuka was taken aback. "Eiji also doesn't give that kind of concern to Fuji, but he's his best friend," he added, disregarding Tezuka's reaction.

Giving up, Tezuka stood up and closed his door, and said, "I'm tired of this, so maybe you're right, but I don't know if you're right, I've never been in love before so I don't know if I'm in love with Fuji or not."

"You're admitting it?" Oishi asked, lighting up.

"I'm not admitting it," Tezuka clarified, "why would I admit something I'm not sure of?"

"But believe me, Tezuka," Oishi told him, standing up and walking to the door, "just think more about it to be finally sure of it."

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To be continued…

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	4. Chapter 4

**Rain's Gift**

-clavee-

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Author's note: Whew! Sorry guys for making you wait too long, firstweeks days of school are unforgivable! We're already given a lot of home works and readings that's why I've been busy. But anyway, here's the follow up chapter of "Rain's Gift" (the 2nd to the last chapter actually), please read and review! Thanks! The last chapter will follow this and may be uploaded maybe next week hopefully :D

Disclaimers: I don't own Prince of Tennis.

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_Chapter 4: Leaving Rain_

'_Why do I need to buy these things?_' Tezuka thought as he lean at the wall inside the elevator, gripping the handle of the plastic bag he was holding which contains new stock of dog food and dog shampoos. Fuji called him just to ask him to buy all these this afternoon since his own stock are running out…and Tezuka kept wondering why did he do what he was ordered – it is not like for Tezuka do these kinds of errands especially if it benefits the puppy.

Tezuka had finally thought over what Oishi kept on telling him; he closely watched, observed and analyzed his actions whenever he was around Fuji or dealing with Fuji and whenever he was around with other people for the past week. Whether he hates it or not, he finally admit to himself that Oishi was totally correct – he finally see that he was more concerned and worried about Fuji almost half of every day than any other people, he seems to think more of him all the time and he can fully recognize the jealousy that is in him whenever he sees the puppy being taken cared of by him. One thing is clear to him, he does not simply like Fuji…he is in love with him.

_Tezuka_ _and Oishi met up at a café that Wednesday during their lunch time on the objective of accomplishing their History home work. Finally, after one hour or so, the two of them have finished what they are suppose to finish and they can order their lunch at last._

_They spent eating their lunch in silence until Oishi got irritated of it – being someone who has Kikumaru as their housemate would get use of noise as time pass._

"_So, how are things going?" Oishi asked, after swallowing his sushi._

"_What things?" Tezuka inquired, taking a sip of his juice and not looking at Oishi._

"_You know…things in the apartment…with Fuji_ _and Rain?" Oishi added further._

_Tezuka_ _shrugged, he knows what Oishi wants to talk about, but he would not give what Oishi wants that easily so he decided to play along the flow of their conversation. "Fine," he said simply._

"_Fine?"_ _Oishi repeated, not convinced since he wants something more than that, "That's it? Fine?"_

"_Well, Fuji and I are still on less speaking terms, you know, since that puppy got sick," Tezuka elaborated, "and the puppy and I are not yet that close with each other since I have no intention to be that close with the puppy."_

"_I see," Oishi commented mindlessly, with a smirk on his face, "still jealous with Rain, huh?"_

_Tezuka_ _did not answer but just gave Oishi a glare._

"_Still not admitting that I'm right? Tsk tsk tsk…you've got too much pride," Oishi said as he shook his head._

_Breathing deeply, Tezuka put down his chopsticks properly and said, "I have enough of this, I –"_

"_I know you–" Oishi interrupted._

"_Let me finish first, please?" Tezuka quickly cut in as well._

"_Okay," Oishi fell silent._

"_I have thought of everything that you said to me ever since I don't know when," Tezuka began, "but whether how much I despite to admit it, I will finally agree that everything of what you said is right a–"_

"_So, you're finally admitting that you 'like' or you're 'in love' with Fuji?" Oishi asked quickly and excitedly so that Tezuka would not be able to interrupt him._

_Tezuka_ _did not expect Oishi to ask that question all of the sudden, he have thought of this particular moment and how he would admit everything to Oishi, he wished that Oishi would have been more patient._

"_Hey, answer me," Oishi demanded, nudging Tezuka's elbow, "you're in love with Fuji, aren't you?"_

_Defeated, Tezuka nodded._

_Chuckling, Oishi restrained himself from shouting for victory for his shame and Tezuka's, "So, what are your plans?"_

"_Plans?"_ _Tezuka asked, perplexed, "What plans?"_

"_Plans, you know, are you going to tell him? When are you going to tell him?" Oishi explained._

"_I'm not going to tell him anything," Tezuka stated firmly._

"_Nani?"_ _Oishi exclaimed in disbelief, "How come?"_

"_I don't think there's a need for that," Tezuka justified._

"_Tezuka!"_ _Oishi called out, trying hard to lower his voice down, "Are you stupid or what? How could you say that there's no need for that?"_

"_Did you just call me stupid?" Tezuka asked._

"_Okay, I'm sorry, I didn't mean it," Oishi told him, "but Tezuka, you've wasted so much time figuring this kind of matter that is so simple and now that everything's clear, you're not going to do anything about it?"_

"_Hai," Tezuka answered, "I don't want to lose my friendship with him and besides he doesn't need anyone like me as long as that puppy's around."_

"_This is ridiculous," Oishi shrugged, "Tezuka, Rain's a puppy, Fuji's not in love with that, he's just fond of it because it's cute and adorable, nothing more nothing less," he added, heatedly, "and besides how can you be sure that this can ruin your friendship with each other? You haven't tried yet," he continue, "I'm telling you, Tezuka, if you're not going to do anything I'll be the one who's going to tell Fuji all of this."_

"_You can't do that," Tezuka told him._

"_Yes I can and I will," Oishi said, warningly and firmly._

The elevator finally stopped at the fourth floor, Tezuka straightened himself up as he waited the door to open. Afterwards, he stepped out of the elevator and began to walk to Room 419.

Tezuka kept thinking since that day if he did the right thing on admitting everything to Oishi since even though Oishi had stop 'lecturing' him about 'you like Fuji but you just don't it', he had started ranting about 'you should tell Fuji as soon as possible'. However, he does not want to do anything of that sort since he is more or less afraid of losing his friendship with Fuji that he had always valued since junior high. But he cannot help but agree that Oishi's right; he had wasted so much time just trying to figure out what he truly felt for Fuji since he had been like this much earlier before they stepped into college – a lot could have happened now if not for his 'stupidity' as Oishi accidentally puts it.

Luckily, Tezuka did not go pass his unit despite his deep thinking, he is exactly in front of Room 419. He took out his keys and opened the door, surprised that the lights in the living room was open, unable to believe that the light was switched on, he looked went back to the door to see its number. '_Room 419_,' he read to himself, '_I'm on my unit._' He went back to inside and checked on the calendar to see what day it is, Fuji always marks each day it is on the calendar with a smiling face and he never missed to do it. '_Friday_,' he said to himself and he looked at his watch to see what time it is, it was almost 9:00 in the evening, thinking that Fuji had finally learned to switch on the lights when evening comes or maybe he had no school work to finish in his room, he walked further inside.

"Tezuka, you're home," Fuji greeted, as he put down the phone receiver, "did you have everything I asked?"

"Here," Tezuka answered, holding up the plastic bag in his hand.

"Arigatou," Fuji said, taking the plastic bag Tezuka held up, "I'm going to pay you back, wait a minute."

"Iie, no need," Tezuka told him.

"Are you sure?"

"Hai, it's okay."

"Arigatou," Fuji said again, "Are you hungry? I've already prepared dinner…I'm just waiting for you to arrive so we can eat together."

"I see, let's eat then," Tezuka said, following Fuji to the kitchen.

"You can just sit there, I know you're very tired," Fuji told him as he went to the kitchen counter to get some plates.

Tezuka did what he was told, '_Why does he seem so nice?_' he asked himself as he watched Fuji place the plates on the table.

"By the way Tezuka," Fuji called his attention, "my mom called just now, she told me to go home tomorrow for my sister's engagement party so I told her I will, I'll go back here probably Sunday morning."

"I see…say hello to them for me," Tezuka said.

"Don't worry, I will," Fuji told him, as he went back to get some drinking glasses, "but I won't bring Rain there, it would cause so much hassle so…can you look up for him?"

Tezuka's mouth dropped open, '_He's asking me to look after that puppy for the whole day tomorrow until he comes back? What's wrong with him?_'

"Please…?" Fuji pleaded as he sees Tezuka's reaction.

"Uh…uh…why can't you just trust it to Kikumaru and Oishi?" Tezuka suggested. "I'm not good at taking care of pets, you know."

"Rain might get upset or something if he will spend sometime in the other house since he's been already used to be here," Fuji justified, "he might not sleep or eat there since everything will be new to him and he'll have difficulty in making himself comfortable."

"If that's the case, then I've no choice…" Tezuka finally agreed, breathing deeply. '_This will be a one heck of a weekend_,' he thought.

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To be continued…

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	5. Chapter 5

**Rain's Gift**

-clavee-

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Author's Note: First thing first – I'm really, really sorry. This chapter should have been updated ages ago but I didn't not mean to abandon this, it's just school got in the way, my sophomore year in college was unforgivable. Anyways, here's the fifth chapter of "Rain's Gift" and I know I promised that the next chapter would be the last, I somehow changed plans so in other words, this is not yet the last chapter, sorry :p But I would update much faster than before so hope you would still want to read my story. So, again, here it is, enjoy please review!. :D

Disclaimer: I don't own Prince of Tennis.

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_Chapter 5: See ya, Rain_

"You behave ne?" Fuji told Rain as he held up the puppy up to his face, smiling.

The puppy gave a cheerful bark, as if understanding what he was just told.

"That's more I like it." Fuji said, settling the puppy down his lap, and turned to Tezuka, "You shouldn't really have bothered; I can manage to take myself to the station."

"Iie, it's okay," Tezuka assured Fuji as he stepped on the breaks to stop in acknowledgement of the red light.

It was 8:00 in the morning and Tezuka and Fuji are on their way to the train station. Tezuka offered Fuji a ride which Fuji reluctantly accepted at first, he kept convincing Tezuka that he will be fine but Tezuka still insisted on taking him. How he manage to convince Fuji that easily without getting close to an argument, was a mystery to him but a relief at the same time – he never dreamt of having arguments with Fuji as his breakfast in the morning, but how Fuji just gave in, was really something new to him.

_Tezuka_ _opened his eyes that morning, if only he had the power like what destiny and fate has, he would not want to wake up at this particular day. The idea of having to take care of Rain the whole day really makes him sick, but he cannot dare to say 'no' to Fuji as he did not want to disappoint him, or worse, to have a heated fight with him. He sighed as he got up from his bed; he walked towards his table to put on his glasses and went out of his room. _

"_Ohayou, Tezuka!" Fuji greeted brightly, as he ran towards his own room._

_Blinking, Tezuka walked towards Fuji_'_s room and peered inside; Fuji_ _is on the floor, slumped down, arranging the things he needs for his stay with his family._

"_You'll be gone for just a day, I don't think that amount of baggage is necessary," Tezuka voiced out as he lean on the doorframe, as he watch Fuji pack a month-worth of his belongings._

_Fuji turned to him, smiling, and asked, "Do you think so, Tezuka?"_

_Tezuka_ _sighed as he straightened himself, and asked, "What time is it?"_

"_Quarter to seven," Fuji_ _answered, looking at his watch then to Tezuka with a quizzical look._

"_Have you eaten breakfast?" Tezuka asked._

_Fuji_ _shook his head._

_Tezuka_ _sighed again, _'I shouldn't have asked,' _he thought. "You finish packing there, I'll prepare the breakfast," he told him, turning away, "I'll drop you off the train station after," he added as he went to the kitchen._

"_Nani?!"_ _Fuji_ _exclaimed, eyes opening. He quickly got to his feet and followed Tezuka to the kitchen._

"_You don't need to do that," Fuji_ _told Tezuka, walking to him to the stove._

"_Do what?" Tezuka quipped, putting the frying pan on top of the stove burner._

_Fuji_ _sighed, trying hard not to get irritated in order to avoid a fight with Tezuka this early in the morning. _'No fighting, Syusuke,' _Fuji_ _reprimanded himself, breathing deeply, _'you're not leaving this place with him pissed at you, remember, you asked him to look after your puppy.'

"_You don't have to take me to the station…" Fuji_ _answered, playing along._

"_But I insist," Tezuka said, taking two plates from the rack._

"_But Tezuka…"_

"_Just give me one good reason why I shouldn't," Tezuka told him, placing the plates on the table._

"_Ah…" Fuji started to think, but he could not get himself get to think of a good answer, "ah…you shouldn't because…it will be…" he try to get the words from the back of his head, and finished quickly, "…such a hassle! Yes, it will be too much of a hassle for you, Tezuka, you should just stay here since you only got the weekends as you free days so just take a rest, you're definitely tired the whole week."_

_Tezuka_ _stared at Fuji_ _for a while, and said, "Gomen, that's not good enough."_

"_It isn't?" Fuji_ _asked, watching Tezuka went back to what he was cooking._

"_Hai," Tezuka answered._

_Fuji_ _think of something more, "No one would be left with Rain if you're going to take me to the station," he tried another reason, but somehow…_'Tezuka would definitely love to just leave him behind,' _he thought._

_Tezuka_ _saw that answer coming, so, despite his abhorrence towards the puppy, he said, "We'll take the puppy with us then."_

"_Ho-honto?"_

"_Hai."_

"_You're not sick, are you?" Fuji_ _asked in disbelief._

_Tezuka's_ _eyebrow twitch in annoyance, good thing his back was the one that is facing Fiji, '_Fuji can really be an impishon person,' _he thought to himself as he try to keep his cool. "I'm perfectly fine," Tezuka told him, turning to him, "just go to your room and finish your packing so that we could have breakfast and I could take you down to the station…with th-Rain."_

_Fuji_ _smiled and finally agreed to what Tezuka wants; he then walked back to his room._

_Tezuka_ _sighed as Fuji walked back to his room, _'That's the quickest that I have ever convinced him to agree with me,' _he thought, smiling a little, _'but…if Fuji is the Fuji back in our junior high, he could've won against me…' _Somehow, he still could not figure out what happened to Fuji through the years, the wit was barely even there now, the sense of vulnerability and childishness was so evident, _'Where's the old you, Fuji?"

"Ne, Tezuka, stop!" Fuji exclaimed.

Tezuka quickly pulled to an abrupt stop, turning to Fuji, and asked, "What is it?"

"Uhm…we have already driven past the station," Fuji answered him, smiling and pointing a finger to the direction they have gone.

Tezuka followed Fuji's finger and saw the station blocks away, "Then I should drive you all the way then," he said, looking back to Fuji.

"Nani? Tezuka, you won't!" Fuji snapped at him.

"I'm just kidding," Tezuka said, and continued, "I'm just going to park the car somewhere nearby."

Fuji stared at Tezuka, eyes open, and thought, '_That's weird…Tezuka? Kidding? He must really be sick."_

Tezuka was aware of Fuji staring at him, well, he could not blame the other for it, he could not even believe himself that he had joked just now. '_Looks like it's not only Fuji_ _who lost his old self…' _Tezuka thought.

--- --- ---

"Aniki!" Yuuta waved at his brother from the station entrance.

"Yuuta!" Fuji waved back at his younger brother.

"What's he doing here?" Tezuka asked suddenly, wondering.

"Yuuta's taking college somewhere here too," Fuji answered Tezuka, smiling, "Okaasan wanted us to go home together so –"

"What took you so long?" Yuuta asked his older brother as he approached them.

"Tezuka parked his car somewhere there," Fuji answered Yuuta, pointing towards the direction they had come from, "we have to walk a few feet going here."

"I see…" Yuuta sighed, then, seeing the ball of fur in his brother's arms, he asked, "Ne, aniki, what's that you're carrying?"

"Oh, he's name is Rain, isn't he just cute?" Fuji told his brother as he held the puppy to Yuuta's face.

Yuuta stepped back as he stare at the black-spotted, white puppy, "Ha-hai."

"Oh, thank goodness, there's a vending machine, I'm thirsty," Fuji said, taking away the puppy from Yuuta's face, which Yuuta gave a quivering, but thankful smile, "I'll be right back," he told Yuuta and Tezuka as he went to the vending excitedly.

"Tezuka-kun, you're not bothered by that creature, are you?" Yuuta asked Tezuka who was watching Fuji intently.

"…Ah…"

"He's not taking it all the way home, is he?" Yuuta quickly asked, alarmed.

"Iie," Tezuka answered, closing his eyes.

Yuuta signed and called Tezuka's attention again, "Ne, Tezuka-kun…"

Tezuka somehow saw that what Yuuta will ask has nothing to do with the puppy. "Hai?"

"You're wondering about aniki and his behavior, aren't you?" Yuuta asked, looking seriously at Tezuka.

Tezuka sighed and honestly answered, "Not much, but he really did change over the years…"

Yuuta nodded in agreement.

"Do you have any idea why?" Tezuka asked, realizing that nobody knows about it except his brother.

Yuuta's eyes widened, caught off guard, "Well…uh…" he stuttered, looking down the ground, not knowing what to say because he is not really sure about the real reason for it since he did not dare to ask his brother. But Saeki did happen to say something about it two years ago during their last visit in Chiba... '_He has this person that he likes, unfortunately, he couldn't get that person's attention so easily…but he realized that he could if would make himself vulnerable enough so that that person would fuss over him…you're brother is so unbelievable and definitely childish…'_

"It's okay if you don't want to say…" Tezuka trailed off, realizing that it could be a very personal matter.

"Ne, Yuuta, shall we go?" Fuji asked his brother as he walked back to them.

"Ha-hai," Yuuta agreed.

"Tezuka, here," Fuji held Rain carefully to Tezuka, Yuuta watched in wide-eyed expression totally directed to Tezuka.

Fighting the urge to bite his lower lip in irritation, Tezuka closed his as he reached out to take the puppy. Yuuta watched in total amazement but he could see and feel Tezuka's unwillingness and frustration.

"Again, Rain, behave," Fuji told the puppy which is already in Tezuka's arms, "arigatou, Tezuka."

"No problem," Tezuka said, breathing heavily, "have a safe trip."

The Fuji brothers nodded and turned to enter the train station. "Ja, Rain!" Fuji waved before entering the station, "Ja, Tezuka!"

And with that, Fuji Syusuke and Fuji Yuuta disappeared in the view. Tezuka sighed for the nth time of that morning and sighed and stare at the puppy at his arms which is staring back at him. Sighing again, he turned back to the direction where he parked his car, "Let's go."

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To be continued…

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	6. Chapter 6

**Rain's Gift**

-clavee-

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Author's note: I know I promised to update soon but unexpected things do happen, hehe…so again, patience, patience…Peace! Please read and review! I'm uploading **TWO** chapters this time because who knows what other things happen again that will cause my delay…so here, enjoy! J Remember: This is just one of the chapters I uploaded, there's still another after this! J

Disclaimers: I don't own Prince of Tennis.

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_Chapter 6: Day with Rain_

He should have thought of the consequence of his kindness; being so eager to do something nice and 'sweet' to Fuji, Tezuka was not able to foresee how much a struggle driving is with a puppy in a car without any company to look after it. From the train station, Tezuka walked back to where he had parked his car with Rain in his arms. He did not pay any attention to him during the short walk but he is aware that the puppy is gazing up at him. '_Why is it that you gaze like him?'_ he thought.

'_Just a little more,'_ Tezuka told himself as he near the final turn to the apartment.

Tezuka had already run out of ideas to settle the puppy down – first, he made it sit on the passenger's seat, but it slip down as it jump up to the window to see the view outside; next, Tezuka pulled up the hazard and placed the puppy on the backseat, unfortunately this time, the puppy struggled to get back to the front; feeling a severe migraine coming, he placed the puppy on his lap, but as he drive, it kept on jumping to the steering wheel and accidentally blew the horns trice, unwilling to be looked at by other people on the road, Tezuka held the puppy with his right arm and just struggle to drive with just his left hand.

"Why couldn't you just sit still?" Tezuka kept asking the puppy, annoyed, every time he shifts the puppy's location to make it comfortable and satisfied. "You're not this restless with Fuji awhile ago," he added irritatingly.

Finally, what seems to be a hundred-miles away, Tezuka is now parking on the apartment building. As soon as he was done, he, together with the puppy, went off the car and walked inside the building to get to their unit – Tezuka, again, carrying the puppy casually as if the puppy is just something that he had just bought from a store.

Once inside their unit, Tezuka placed the puppy onto the floor and left it alone as he went to the kitchen to drink a glass of water, however, the puppy followed him behind and gave him a bark as it clung to his right foot. Tezuka looked down to the puppy, and asked, "What do you want?"

The puppy let go of Tezuka's foot and just barked again, wagging its tail energetically.

Tezuka sighed and went to sit at the dining table, saying, "You're lucky Fuji's your master, if not, I would've put you inside the car's compartment moments ago."

The puppy whimpered as if it understood what Tezuka just told him.

"Silly," Tezuka muttered, smirking. He stood up and placed the drinking glass he had used on the sink. "Don't go messing around, I'm warning you," he told the puppy as he made his way to his room.

The puppy jumped and barked, excitedly, as a reply.

'_This is unbelievable,'_ Tezuka thought as he sat on his desk and switched on his laptop, sighing, he thought again, '_No, unbelievable? Such an understatement, this is ridiculous!'_ Sighing, he leaned back to his chair, he remembered his conversation with Fuji last night regarding on how to look after the puppy.

"_I have no idea on how to take care of it, I mean, of Rain though," he told Fuji over dinner, "tell me what I'm suppose to do," he added, before taking a sip of the soup Fuji had prepared._

"_Well, nothing much," Fuji_ _said, joining his fingers together and resting his elbows on the table, "let's see…"_

_Tezuka_ _stared at Fuji who rested his head on his joined fingers and looked up the ceiling, thinking, forgetting his soup for awhile._

"…_well, all that you have to do is feed him at meal times, give him a bath after lunch, dry him properly, play with him and talk to him," Fuji told him, turning to him, smiling._

_Tezuka's_ _mouth dropped open for the second time that night, _'Giving meals is no problem, but, bathe it? Play with it? That's too much!' _he thought to himself, if he knew better, this could be one of Fuji_'_s sadistic ideas, since, as he look at his housemate, this whole situation seems to amuse him._

"_Is there any problem with that?" Fuji_ _asked, frowning slightly._

"_None," Tezuka answered, "I could manage but don't expect too much."_

"_Don't worry; I know you would be able to do it," Fuji_ _told him, smiling again, putting down his elbow from the table, "you're the best in everything you do."_

"_Hn," was all Tezuka's reply. _'Miracle, I need a miracle,' _he thought._

Tezuka looked at the time on his laptop; it was still quarter-to-eleven, too early to feed the puppy. He sighed, '_Where's the miracle I was praying for?' _he asked himself, getting himself to work on the assignments given to him the whole week by his merciless professors.

Outside Tezuka's room, Rain got bored lying on his bed in the living room. So, he went to Fuji's room which was not totally close, he pushed the door slightly to get inside. He turned around the room to look for something interesting; it seems that the absence of his master is slowly getting into him. He walked towards Fuji's bed, trying to get above it, he jumped for several times but to no avail, is seems that the bed is still high for him.

Whimpering, he left Fuji's room and went to peek at Tezuka, seeing him, he walked inside slowly. He barked to get his attention, Tezuka turned to him with a raised eyebrow, "What is it that you want?" he asked, eyeing it coldly.

The puppy hung its head down and made its way out of Tezuka's room. '_You don't expect me to play with you, do you?' _he asked to himself, turning back to his work.

Staring at the living room, Rain sat the space between the living room, kitchen, Fuji's room and Tezuka's. Whimpering, Rain chose to walk to the kitchen and settled under the table, before he put himself to sleep; he saw the door leading to the laundry area, opened. Looking up, he barked and ran towards it excitedly.

Taking off his glasses, Tezuka closed his eyes and rubbed the bridge of his nose. Looking at the time again in his laptop, he stood up from his chair as he saw that it was already 12:25 noon, knowing it is already time to feed the puppy and himself as well. He walked towards the kitchen and got himself a pouch noodles and prepared to heat water on the stove. As he wait for the water to boil, he took the dog food and bowl on the shelf to prepare Rain's meal. After he had poured enough dog food to the bowl, he placed it on the floor and looked for the puppy.

'_Where had he gone?'_ he asked again to himself as he walked towards Fuji's room to check if the puppy's inside, however, he found nothing in there. He went to the living room and checked the door of the apartment to see if it was open. Sighing as he see nothing of the puppy and turned back to the kitchen where he happened to look at the door of the laundry room, he saw sheets of blankets poking outside it. Blinking, he walked towards the laundry room and peeked inside it. His mouth dropped open, as he saw all his and Fuji's clothes scattered on the floor.

A bark was heard from below him; Tezuka looked down and saw a basket turned upside down. He bent down and lifted up the basket and saw the puppy buried on more of his and Fuji's clothes. Eyebrows twitching, he felt a migraine coming, seeing and feeling this, the puppy quickly slipped away the laundry room and ran outside away from Tezuka. Seeing this, Tezuka turned and chased the puppy; he saw it hide on one of the sofa, he went to it but still failed to catch the puppy which already made way to the main door which, out of its own accord, opened for the puppy.

Tezuka froze, '_That's impossible, ghosts aren't real, are they?'_ he thought.

"Nya!"

A squeal was heard as the puppy jumped onto the person who opened the door, it was Kikumaru.

"Eiji!" Oishi shouted from behind. "Are you alright?"

"Nya! Kawaii!!!" Kikumaru exclaimed, not hearing Oishi's question of concern, as the puppy lick his face. "Oishi, look, he seems to miss me so much!"

Blinking, Oishi smiled at the sight in front of him and looked towards Tezuka, who happens to be standing in the middle of the living room with a piece of laundry in his left hand. Blinking again, Oishi asked, "Ne, Tezuka, what happened?"

"What are you doing here?" Tezuka asked, not answering Oishi's question.

"Paying you a visit, what else, Tezuka?" Kikumaru answered, getting to his feet and walking further inside. "Nya, Tezuka, what's all with this mess?" Kikumaru asked, seeing more scattered clothes in the kitchen.

Tezuka did not answer Kikumaru's question, but settled on picking up all the mess around the house.

"Tezuka!" Oishi shouted, seeing the boiling water on the stove. "You shouldn't forget these kinds of stuffs, it could cause fire," he told his best friend as he ran towards the stove and switched it off.

"I know," Tezuka answered, irritatingly, as he went to the laundry room to clean up the mess that the puppy has caused.

"Don't tell me that this is all that you have for lunch?" Kikumaru asked as he saw the pouch noodle on the table, and settling the puppy down on its bowl of food. "Good thing, we bought food on the way here, nya."

"Yup, it's here," Oishi held it up for Tezuka to see, "I'll prepare it now."

"Arigatou," Tezuka said, focusing back on cleaning the laundry area.

"Nya, Tezuka," Kikumaru walked towards the laundry room and looked around, "don't tell me this was all Rain's doing?"

"Who else?" Tezuka retorted, separating his from Fuji's clothes.

Kikumaru, then, burst out laughing. "Fuji would've been so damn hysterical with this, he'll find this thoroughly amusing!"

Tezuka stare at the red head with a twitching eye.

"Eiji, now, don't say that," Oishi told Kikumaru, seeing Tezuka's murderous eyes.

"But Oishi, this is really funny," Kikumaru said, facing Oishi, still laughing, "wonder what could still happen for the rest of the day," he added, turning to Tezuka, "now, don't worry, Kuni-chan, we'll give you a hand on taking care of Rain, what did Fujiko-chan said that you should do?"

Feeling as if this has been the miracle he has been asking, Tezuka cooled down a bit despite the fact that he was called 'Kuni-chan' that moment, and answered, "Feed it, bathe it, dry it, play with it and talk with it."

"They weren't that hard," Kikumaru commented, putting his finger on his chin, "nya, don't worry, I'll take care of the feeding thing, the bathing thing, the drying thing, the playing thing, and the talking thing, what do you say?"

Tezuka stared at the red head, "Are you sure? But Fuji doesn't want it to leave the apartment, it might get sad and upset, according to him."

"Don't worry, nya!" Kikumaru assured his former buchuo, "Oishi and I will stay here 'til dinner, right, Oishi?" he said, turning to Oishi.

"Hai, that's right," Oishi said as he finished preparing the food on the table.

"Nya! I'm hungry, let's eat," Kikumaru told them, as he sat on a chair on the dining table.

"Leave that for awhile, Tezuka," OIshi said, sitting himself as well, "I'll help you there later after eating."

Sighing, Tezuka went out the laundry room and complied with his friends to eat with them. Sitting on a chair, Rain walked to him and barked.

"Nya, I think he's trying to apologize," Kikumaru told Tezuka, smiling, looking down at Rain, "maybe he got bored awhile ago that's why he played at the laundry room, but the amount of clothes there was tremendous, when was the last time you and Fuji washed your clothes anyway?"

Tezuka just looked at the red head and just sighed.

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To be continued…

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	7. Chapter 7

**Rain's Gift**

-clavee-

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Author's note: As I have told you in the previous chapter, I uploaded **two** chapters – so here's the _**second**_ one of my 'Rain Combo', so be sure to read the chapter before this, alright? So, please read and review! Enjoy! J Two more chapters after this! Hope you still wait for that:p

Disclaimers: I do not own Prince of Tennis.

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_Chapter 7: Missing Rain_

Fuji looked at his watch for the nth time that day – it says 8:30 in the evening – and he sighed as he leaned against the hotel's balcony. Sleep is coming to him very soon, but he could not blame himself, he was not able to get enough sleep this week due to his countless assignments and paper works, also, having two train trips did not give him enough time to nap. After he and Yuuta took the train back to their home, the two of them, together with their father whom they had picked up in the airport, took another train to bring them to Chiba where Yumiko and her fiancé decided to hold the engagement party.

The ceremony was already done and all of the guests were already having their dinner. Even though that there was already a hired photographer to take pictures and video the events, Fuji was still asked to be in-charged with the picture taking with his childhood best friend, Saeki Kojirou, who was to take care of the video. Fuji finished his dinner as quick as possible since he finds the atmosphere in the reception so stuffy that he could not hardly breathe, also, he does not want to get into socializing as of the moment.

Enjoying the soft and gentle breeze from the beach, he got himself thinking about the stuffs he still had to finish all left inside his room in his and Tezuka's apartment. '_If only I just brought half of them here,' _Fuji thought, sighing and looking down. Suddenly, his thoughts were disrupted by the ringing of his cellphone from his pocket.

"Moshi moshi," Fuji answered.

"Fujiko-chan!" a jolly and energetic voice came from the other line.

"Oh, Eiji, it's you," Fuji said, smiling at the sound of his best friend, "what is it?"

"Nothing, I just want to call you," Kikumaru told him, "Rain missed you so much!"

"Really now…" Fuji said, looking up the sky, "did you guys go to see Tezuka today?"

"Hai," Kikumaru answered, "if you only saw what became of your apartment when we arrive there…it was so funny!"

"Why? What happened to the apartment?" Fuji asked, suddenly feeling amuse of what he is going to hear from his best friend.

"Well, nothing serious," Kikumaru assured his best friend, "but Rain found some enjoyment on messing up the laundry room before lunch…"

"Rain what?" Fuji could not believe what he had heard, it could have been something minor, but knowing Tezuka, he would not take that easily, "What did Tezuka…?"

"Well, Kuni-chan sort of chasde Rain around the apartment but that's when we arrived," Kikumaru told Fuji, and continued, "there were a lot of clothes scattered around the apartment and, of course, in the laundry room…when was the last time you and Tezuka did your laundry anyway?" he asked out of nowhere, turning a bit serious, "It seems that both of you have a month-worth of clothes in there…"

Fuji gave out a small chuckle, "Well, I was supposed to wash my clothes today but I need to go all the way here so I wasn't able to do so…" he explained, "but if you asked when was the last time we did our laundry, well I think it was a week or two weeks ago…" he added, laughing more, "so what did Tezuka do?"

"Nya! I never thought you and Tezuka are lazy to do your laundry, of all people!" Kikumaru whined on the other line.

"We're not lazy, we're just busy," Fuji told him, smiling, "we've been like that ever since we moved into that apartment, didn't you know?"

"No!" Kikumaru exclaimed, Fuji could see his widened eyes. "I've never peeked into the laundry room of your apartment."

"Anyway, what did Tezuka do?" Fuji asked again, amused of his best friend.

"Well, he cleaned up the laundry room after lunch," Kikumaru told him, "and he did the laundry as well…"

"He – what?!" Fuji exclaimed, "Which laundry did he do?"

"He did his and yours," Kikumaru answered, and Fuji could picture Kikumaru blinking his eyes in confusion.

Fuji widened his eyes in disbelief, and asked instead, "How about Rain? How did he handle him?"

"Oh, don't worry," Kikumaru assured Fuji again, "I took care of him!" Kikumaru said happily. "I bathe him, dry him, play with him, and talked to him, nya!"

"Oh, I see," Fuji muttered.

"Hai!" Kikumaru said, snickering, "Actually, I don't know what has gotten into you, leaving Rain with Tezuka and all that, it's a disaster, you know," he told Fuji, jokingly, "who knows what could've happen if Oishi and I didn't arrive…"

Chuckling, Fuji said, "Well, I'll be just thankful that you came then…"

"Nya! Fuji, I better go now," Kikumaru told his best friend after shouting something to Oishi, "Oishi just finished cooking dinner and were about to it."

"Okay then," Fuji said.

"Regards to Yumiko-nee-chan, nya?" Kikumaru asked Fuji.

"Hai, I will," Fuji assured his red headed friend, "Ja."

"Ja!"

With that, the two hang up simultaneously. Fuji put back his cellphone on his pocket.

"Hey," a voice came from behind Fuji.

Fuji then turned to see who had approached him, "Saeki."

"Who's that? Tezuka?" Saeki asked, holding a glass of red wine to Fuji.

"Arigatou," Fuji said, taking the wine glass from Saeki, "Iie, it was Eiji."

"Oh, would you mind if I ask what was it about?" Saeki inquired politely, taking a sip from his own red wine, "Did your apartment already blow up?"

Fuji chuckled, "Not really…" he said, taking a sip as well, "but Eiji told me that Rain kind of messed up the laundry room this afternoon."

"Really now?" Saeki asked, amused, "What did Tezuka do with Rain, then?"

"Well, he chased Rain all around the apartment," Fuji told him, laughing, "good thing Eiji and Oishi arrived, and was able to help Tezuka out, Tezuka did all laundry, by the way…"

"Oh? That's nice," Saeki commented, smiling, "honestly, leaving Tezuka with a puppy is not a pretty good idea…"

"Eiji told me that as well," Fuji told him, smirking, "but I find it really amusing, I wish I could've left some hidden cameras in the apartment to see how it happened."

"Wow, I never thought that you still have you sadistic side," Saeki commented, grinning, looking at Fuji with a raised eyebrow.

"I miss being like this sometimes…" Fuji told him, looking up the sky, "ne, Saeki, do you think the moon is beautiful tonight?"

Saeki looked up as well, and he nodded, agreeing to what Fuji said, the moon was indeed beautiful. It was big and in its full form, and not to forget its reflection being reflected on the beach below. He turned to Fuji and saw him set his wine glass on the balcony, and held his camera to take a picture of the full moon.

"How long do you plan to pretend?" Saeki asked, out of the blue.

Fuji put down his camera after taking seven shots of the scenery, and answered, "I don't know, I start to feel that this is becoming me more and more as time passes…"

Saeki saw the frown from Fuji's face, and asked, "Pardon me but don't you think these are all becoming useless?"

Fuji looked up to Saeki and gave a slight smile, and said gently, "I do sometimes think that, but I don't know, I just couldn't get myself to stop even though I'm getting tired…"

Frowning, Saeki looked away; he could not bear to see his once cheerful friend being like this at all. '_If only I could go up to that person, I would be able to tell him what you really feel about him,' _he thought to himself, '_but, of course, you won't like that, you want to handle things on your own…as always.'_

"I'll go back inside, it's getting kind of chilly out here," Saeki told Fuji, "coming as well?" he asked, turning to him.

"Iie," Fuji answered as he shook his head, "I'll stay out here for awhile it's kind of stuffy in there…"

"I see, but you better come inside soon, people would start looking for you," Saeki said, walking inside.

"Hai," Fuji nodded.

With that, Saeki left him and he looked back at the moon in the horizon. '_Up 'til when, Syusuke?' _he asked himself, feeling a bit teary. He suddenly held up his cellphone and dialed a number. The other line rang, '_Busy, are you?' _Fuji thought to himself, smiling. It has already been seven rings and he was already prepare to hang up when –

"Moshi moshi," an answer came from the other line.

"Tezuka!" Fuji replied excitedly but still a bit surprised.

"Fuji," Tezuka said, a bit sleepy.

"Hai," Fuji replied with a mischievous grin, "how was your day?"

"It was fine," Tezuka answered as short as possible, a bit happy with Fuji checking on him.

"I see…" Fuji muttered, amused, "you didn't have any trouble with Rain?" he asked, suppressing laughter.

"Iie," Tezuka answered, feeling jealous at once.

"Really?" Fuji asked in disbelief, knowing how much trouble he had from Kikumaru.

"Okay, you talked with Kikumaru?" Tezuka snapped softly.

"Why, Tezuka, didn't know that you become a psychic now," Fuji teased, taking another sip of his red wine, "hai, Eiji called me awhile ago and he said that our laundry room was completely messed up."

"You knew, then," Tezuka said, irritated, "you seem to find it very amusing."

Sighing, Fuji replied, "Why do you people say that?" adding a fake hurt on his voice, "I'm not that mean!"

"Whatever," Tezuka retorted, "I did your laundry, by the way."

"I know, Eiji told me as well," Fuji said, feeling guilty, "you didn't have to do that, though."

"The clothes got mixed up, so I just put myself into it," Tezuka explained, stifling a yawn, "don't worry, Oishi helped me as well." He added.

"Bothering people now, eh?" Fuji asked, getting amused again.

"Not really, I have no choice," Tezuka told him.

"Okay…" Fuji said in a resigned tone, he turned back to the scenery and saw Yuuta waving at him inside the reception, "I better go now, you seem to be so tired, go to sleep ne, Mitsu?"

Tezuka did not gave a reply to that and Fuji chuckle, "Former Tezuka-buchuo is speechless there, ne?

"Fuji," Tezuka called his name in a reprimanding tone.

"Hai, hai," Fuji said, still chuckling, "Oyasumi, Tezuka."

"Oyasumi," Tezuka replied and hung up.

Fuji, then, hung up as well, and went inside the reception which was about to end.

--- --- --- --- ---

To be continued…

--- --- --- --- --


	8. Chapter 8

**Rain's Gift**

-clavee-

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Author's note: Did I make you wait long for this chapter? If I did, I'm sorry…hehe, so here's the 8th installment, and definitely the second to the last chapter of this story. So, as always, please read and review! Ja!

Disclaimer: I do not own Prince of Tennis.

--- --- --- --- ---

_Chapter 8: Runaway Rain_

Tezuka was walking along the corridor leading to their unit that Sunday morning; he had just came from the supermarket, buying some groceries before Fuji arrived later the day. He stifled a yawn as he further open the slightly ajar door of their unit unconsciously. Just before he closed the door, he froze and looked around the unit. Leaving the door open on purpose, he walked towards the kitchen and placed the groceries he bought on the table. He then went to Fuji's room to see if he happened to arrive early, unfortunately, the room was still the way it is when its owner left it for a day.

At that moment, he started to get alarmed, he quickly went to his own room and check under his bed and study table then back to Fuji's room and did the same. He also checked the bathroom, the kitchen, the laundry room and, finally, the living room.

'_Damn,'_ Tezuka cursed in his mind as he went on another round on their unit. Just when he thought that looking around in their unit is not enough, he quickly bolted outside where he almost crashed onto someone.

"Nya! Tezuka!" Kikumaru exclaimed, jumping back, surprised.

"Ah, gomen," Tezuka said, seeing Oishi and Kikumaru in front of him.

"Tezuka, what's the matter?" Oishi asked getting worried.

"I think – iie – I accidentally left our door open when I went to the supermarket," Tezuka began, speaking quickly as he could, getting frantic second by second, "I left the puppy alone inside, and now I think he had gone out, I couldn't find it inside."

"Nani?!" Kikumaru and Oishi screamed in chorus.

"Nya, Fujiko-chan will get mad," Kikumaru said, clapping his hand on his forehead, "definitely."

"What are you going to do, Tezuka?" Oishi asked despite knowing the answer.

"I'm going to look for it," Tezuka answered.

"Nani? But Tezuka, it just started raining hard," Kikumaru informed him, frowning with worried eyes.

"I don't care," Tezuka said, walking past the Golden Pair.

"I'll go with you," Oishi offered.

"Iie," Tezuka objected, turning to them, "you two stay here, tell Fuji what happened when he arrive," he instructed them, and quickly added, "and keep him from going out to look for the puppy."

"But –" Oishi began.

"No 'buts', Oishi," Tezuka snapped.

"O-Okay," Oishi finally agreed though hesitantly.

"Nya, be careful, Tezuka," Kikumaru told him with a deepening frown.

Tezuka nodded at the two of them and stormed towards the stairs as fast as he could (not bothering to use the elevator).

--- --- ---

It had been two hours since Tezuka went through the rain to look for the puppy; Oishi and Kikumaru, on the other hand, stayed at their friends' apartment getting worried every second. To loosen tension, Kikumaru decided to intrude in their friends' kitchen to cook since it was nearly lunchtime and he thinks that Fuji might arrive any moment now.

On the contrary, Oishi sat by the window, frowning as he watches the rain fall down harder than hours before.

"Nya, Oishi, relax," Kikumaru told him from the kitchen who seems to be enjoying what he was doing.

Oishi, then, walked towards the kitchen, and replied, "How can I relax?" he asked, and continued, "Tezuka's out there in the rain looking for a small puppy and Fuji will be here any moment now…" he, then, sighed, looking worried than before, not noticing Kukimaru who was suddenly waving and looking at him frantically and just babble on, "What are we going to tell him? Iie..How are we going to tell him? How are we going to tell him that Rain had gone out of the apartment when Tezuka accidentally left their door open when he went out to buy groceries? How are we going to tell Fuji everything without making him angry at first? Ho –?"

"Tezuka's what?" a voice suddenly spoke behind Oishi.

Oishi froze from his spot at the sound of that familiar voice as Kikumaru covered his face with his hand. Unknown to the two of them, the person they have been anxious to see had already slipped inside the apartment without any traces of sounds of the door being opened and from the things he had just placed on the sofa.

"Oishi, tell me again what the hell is Tezuka doing now," the voice said in a commanding tone.

"Fu-Fuji," Oishi turned to face the owner of the soft feminine voice that send nervous goose bumps on him just second before, not surprised nor alarmed on seeing an open-eyed tensai, "he – I –"

"Nya, just tell him everything, Oishi," Kikumaru told him, totally freaked out by the way Fuji is looking at the two of them.

Sighing to calm himself down, Oishi told him what happened.

After hearing the whole story, Fuji's eyes widened, "Tezuka's out there looking for Rain?"

Oishi and Kikumaru nodded slowly, looking at each other.

Fuji's eyes widened even more, making the blue orbs even more evident and noticeable, he then turned his heels around and stormed out of the unit. He was about to reach the elevator when he felt arms circling around his waist. Fuji abruptly stopped and turned to see Kikumaru pulling him back.

"Eiji –"

"Nya, Fuji, don't!" Kikumaru told him, tightening his arms around his best friend as Oishi appeared behind the redhead. "Tezuka told us not to let you go out to look for Rain." Kikumaru explained.

"Nani?!" Fuji exclaimed in disbelief.

Just then, the elevator opened and a white-haired young man, same age as them, stepped out, shocked at the scene he had caught. "Fuji, what's going on?" the newcomer asked.

Oishi and Kikumaru – relaxing his suffocating embraced on his best friend – looked to see who had just arrived. "Saeki," both acknowledge the presence of the newcomer in unison.

"Nya, Saeki, stop him!" Kikumaru let go of Fuji and went to Saeki in a flash as he point at his best friend behind him. "Rain sort of – iie – Rain wander off when Tezuka accidentally left their apartment door open. Kuni-chan is already looking for it and now Fujiko-chan wants to look for it as well in the hard rain, but Tezuka said we shouldn't let him do that."

If the circumstances were not this serious Saeki would have laugh in amusement by the redhead's reaction – the pouting, whining and, not to mention, the nicknames – but he remained motionless, staring at Kikumaru. He then looked at Fuji who is totally tensed and worried, '_So this is how you are,' _he thought to himself, frowning. "Ne, Fuji, if that's what Tezuka said, just do it," Saeki suddenly told his childhood friend, in a gentle manner.

Fuji looked sharply at him, and snapped, "I'm not going to do what he wants me to do."

"Fuji…" Saeki frowned further and looked away.

"He's just worried about you," Oishi told Fuji as he put a hand in his infuriated friend, "he doesn't want you to do anything…reckless."

"Reckless?!" Fuji exclaimed, raising the volume of his voice, "Then what is he doing out there? Isn't he doing something reckless? Going around the city in this hard rain looking for a small puppy?" he argued.

Oishi did not answer.

"He keeps telling me that I'm such a careless idiot when it comes to – according to him – that 'darn puppy' but now he's the one out there on that strong rain looking for it," Fuji continued, biting his lower lip.

"Fuji, please try to understand," Oishi said in a pleading tone, looking back at Fuji, "he just wants to find Rain as fast as he could so that you won't get worried and get mad at him."

"Why? Am I not worried already?" Fuji snapped at him, glaring, "It's not that Rain everything…well, true, I'll feel bad if something happen to Rain but I'm not a complete childish brat," he told him, looking away, "I know who's much important between Tezuka and Rain…what if something happen to him out there?"

Oishi stared at his friend, "Fu-Fuji…"

"But at least, you're here if ever Tezuka came back," Saeki told Fuji, smiling, "if he found out that you stormed out in the rain as well, I bet Tezuka will also go in the rain again looking for you."

"I wish he would stop doing these for me," Fuji said, slowly calming down.

Oishi, Kikumaru and Saeki stared at him.

"It hurts me every time he takes care of me…it makes me want to be more vulnerable every moment," Fuji continued, eyes starting to be filled with tears, "I hate it…he makes me want to be this weak or much weaker…I hate it…since all of these are all useless for all he sees is a pitiful weakling and annoying childish person every time I stand in front of him…" he trailed off, voice cracking as tears starts to fall from his eyes, "he just looks at me in pity, in annoyance and in a irritating manner…his eyes have nothing more than that every time he looks at me…though I always wish there is something more in them…"

Saeki looked away while Oishi and Kikumaru widened their eyes.

'_Fuji_…_you don't mean to…you felt the same?' _Oishi asked to himself, suddenly realizing what Fuji is telling them, '_You felt the same…baka Tezuka…'_

"Fuji…" a deep voice called in the midst behind Saeki.

Fuji turned sharply at his back and, widening his eyes again, he saw Tezuka, completely drenched, leaning an arm at the wall while the other carrying a soaked white ball of fur.

"Te-Tezuka," Fuji called, walking towards him slowly and shaking.

Tezuka held the shivering puppy to him, and said, "Gomen…"

Fuji reached out to take Rain from Tezuka. However, in just several seconds, Tezuka starts to fall; luckily, he was quickly caught by Saeki before he totally fell to the floor.

"Tezuka!" Oishi and Kikumaru exclaimed in chorus while Fuji just stared at the unconscious Tezuka in Saeki's arms.

--- --- --- --- ---

To be continued…

--- --- --- --- ---


	9. Chapter 9

**Rain's Gift**

-clavee-

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Author's note: Finally! Finally! Finally! The last chapter is up! Thank you guys for reading, supporting, and reviewing 'Rain's Gift', thank you so much! I'm sorry if it took a year for a 9-chapter story to finish, but again, thank you. Maybe I won't be writing long stories like this since I don't want you guys to wait long, hehe, so I think focusing on one-shots will be much better for me. Hehe, so this is the last chapter (the longest chapter of 'Rain's Gift'), so, as always, read and review! Enjoy!

Disclaimer: I do not own Prince of Tennis.

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_Chapter 9: Loving Rain_

_He was running, running as fast as he could on the streets of the city, on the alleyways, on the river and the bridge at the park, but he do not seem to find what he was looking for. Feeling hopeless, he decided to walk back to their apartment. Suddenly, he came to halt and said to no one in particular, "Iie, I can't just go home."_

_Shivering, he crossed his arms across his chest and looked up the dark sky that is releasing gallons of water above by means of thin lines of sprinkles. He then settled himself to a bench at a park he had gone through earlier, not minding it being all wet since he himself was drenched from head to foot._

'What will I tell him?' _he asked himself. He leaned forward and put his elbows to his knees for support. Despite his glasses being less helpful due to the rain, he could still se as he look around that he is indeed alone. _ 'Baka Kunimitsu, who will stay out here in this kind of rain?'

_Just then, he heard a faint whimper somewhere nearby. A whimper that was so familiar to him being it answered to him the whole day before. He stood up from the bench and quickly looked around; he walked a few steps away from the bench when he heard another whimper. _'Why foes it seems to be so close?' _he asked himself. Then, it hit him, he turned back to the bench sharply and there it was, just at the back of the very bench. _

"_Damn you, Kunimitsu," he cursed himself as he approached the object of his search, "how stupid can you get?"_

_He held the cold, shivering creature in his arms, nudging it gently, saying, "Wake up…wake up…"_

_Getting scared all of the sudden as he saw no response, "Rain…" he called its name._

_Still there was no movement, _'This is not right,' _he thought._

"_Rain!"_

"_Rain!"_

"_RAIN!"_

_Tezuka_ _yelled its name at the top of his lungs, then – _

"Tezuka!" A voice called his name and he felt hands holding on to his shoulders.

'_What happened?'_ Tezuka asked himself, looking around. He realized he couldn't see properly, everything was blurred, he then held his hands to his face to feel his glasses – they were gone.

"Tezuka, what are you doing?" asked the voice that called him seconds ago, "Settle down, relax."

Tezuka, then, could feel the hands on his shoulders pushing him down to his bed – '_Bed? I'm in my room?' _he thought, shocked. Squinting, he focused to the person who is settling him down, and asked, "Fuji? You're already here?"

"Hai," Fuji answered, removing his hands off Tezuka's shoulder and went over Tezuka's desk where he had placed his glasses an hour or so ago, and said as he sat on the edge of Tezuka's bed, "There, all dry up."

Fuji placed Tezuka's glasses on its owner, seeing his vision become clearer, Tezuka blinked, and looked at Fuji and the room he is in, and asked, "What happened? Where am I?"

Chuckling, Fuji soaked a towel on a basin that is placed on a chair beside him, and answered, "Really now, you're in your own room, where else?" He then placed the damp towel on Tezuka's forehead.

"H-How? I was at a park – " Tezuka began but was cut off.

"You're just probably dreaming," Fuji told him, smiling with eyes opened full of concern.

"Dreaming? Then I didn't – where's Rai-the puppy?" Tezuka asked, sitting up again, holding the towel that was placed on his forehead.

"Tezuka," Fuji called his name again, a bit irritated, placing his hands on his shoulders again to push him back down again, "Rain is fine," he told him, patiently, "Oishi, Kikumaru and Saeki went out to bring him to the veterinarian an hour and a half ago, they might be on their way back any moment now…"

Tezuka blinked, he repeated the names mentioned on his mind, '_Oishi, Kikumaru and…'_

"Saeki?" he accidentally blurted out, but still giving Fuji a cold stare. "Why are you with him?" Tezuka asked, demandingly, knowing that Saeki was Fuji's childhood friend from Chiba and probably arrived here with Fuji.

Taken aback, Fuji asked himself, '_What's wrong with him?'_ Taking a deep breath to keep himself as calm as possible, he explained, "Saeki drove me and Yuuta all the way here, why?"

Realizing what he was doing, Tezuka looked away, and asked still without thinking, "How come you let him drive you all the way here when you didn't let me drive you all the way there?"

'_Nani?_ _Is he jealous?' _he thought, as he stopped himself from laughing, '_Must be because of the rain.'_ Despite the confusion he have inside his head, Fuji asked as innocent as possible, "What are you saying?"

"Nothing," Tezuka quickly snapped gently, looking back to Fuji, and said, "you should've gone with them."

"Why is that? How about you?" Fuji asked, getting more and more confused by Tezuka's odd behavior.

"Me? I'll be fine, I can take care of myself unlike that puppy," Tezuka muttered.

Blinking, Fuji smiled and said, "You seem to be more worried to Rain than I am."

Tezuka stared at Fuji, and replied a bit dully, "I'm just saying that your puppy needs you more than I need you…" he trailed off and quickly added, "…or anyone."

"Tezuka," Fuji said in mock exasperation, "that's very harsh of you, it hurts me you know," he added with the same teasing tone he had used on him the night before on the phone. And, just like last night, Tezuka did not say anything in response to that. Chuckling, Fuji stood up and made his way to the door, turning back, he said, "So, that's how your face probably looked like last night, ne? By the way, just to remind you, you fainted the moment you came back and you have a fever, I think you do need someone, so don't be stubborn."

Tezuka widened his eyes, and asked himself, '_Me? Stubborn? Look who's talking.'_

Still giggling, he added, "I stay behind because I want to…I'm more worried to you than to Rain, anyway."

With that, Fuji left Tezuka alone in disbelief…'_He's more worried to me than to Rain?' _he thought, blinking. Smiling a little, he lied back down on his bed and closed his eyes.

--- --- ---

"The vet said he'll be fine," Kikumaru told Fuji as they slopped down the living room, the three (Oishi, Kikumaru and Saeki) have just arrived, "he just needs a couple of these vaccines for a week or so, nya." He said, holding up the vaccines they got from the veterinary.

"You seemed to have listened carefully, ne, Eiji?" Fuji asked jokingly as he cradled Rain in his arms.

"Mou, Fuji, of course!" Kikumaru pouted. "I don't want anything bad to happen to Rain, nya!"

Fuji smiled at his best friend and looked down to Rain, and said, "Hey, you gave Tezuka a hard time, ne?" the puppy barked in response, looking up at him sweetly. Smiling more, Fuji carried Rain in his hands and held him up, saying, "I thought I told you to behave?" the puppy then, as if understanding what Fuji has told him, whimpered as if pouting like how Kikumaru had.

"Well, it seems that he picked his master's favorite hobby," Saeki suddenly said to Oishi, both were sitting at the sofa, "don't you think, Oishi?"

Looking at Saeki, Oishi smirked and played along, "Ne, what at are you talking about Saeki?"

Saeki opened his mouth to speak, however – "Saeki!" Fuji called out.

"Gomen, Fuji," Saeki told him, trying hard not to laugh so much but he could not seem to let the chance of teasing Fuji to pass that easily. '_Chance like this only comes once in a blue moon,' _he told himself, grinning.

The Golden Pair laughed, seeing Fuji being teased someone is something that does not happen anytime, and it seems that Saeki was the only one who has the guts to do it to the prodigy. As soon as he has stopped laughing, Oishi asked, "Ne, Fuji, how's Tezuka?"

"Oh, he seems to be fine," Fuji answered, giving Rain to Saeki who was asking for it, "he woke up minutes ago, but he haven't eaten yet, he fell asleep after I left him to prepare some soup, he even slept with his glasses on, good thing I checked on him so I was able to take it off."

"I see, do you think I can go and check on him?" Oishi asked, standing up.

"Sure, if ever he woke up, tell me so that I could heat the soup again," Fuji told him.

Oishi nodded and walked towards Tezuka's room.

"Can I check on him too?" Saeki asked, giving Rain back to Fuji.

"Sure," Fuji answered, taking Rain from him. Saeki then followed Oishi to Tezuka's room.

"Ne, Fuji," Kikumaru called him, smiling.

"What is it, Eiji?" Fuji turned to him, curious.

"You do like Kuni-chan, don't you?" Kikumaru asked, leaning forward and wagged his index finger to Fuji, saying, "Tell me the truth."

Fuji did not answer; he put Rain down on the carpeted floor and leaned back. He looked straight at Kikumaru and smiled, "Hai, I do."

Instead of shouting happily like the way Fuji expects Kikumaru to do, Kikumaru just smiled widely.

--- --- ---

Tezuka slowly opened his eyes, and saw two blurred faces looking down at him.

"Tezuka, you're awake," Oishi said, smiling.

Sitting up, Tezuka turned to the blurred image of Oishi, and said, "My glasses, please."

"Here," another voice spoke up, Tezuka reached out for his glasses being held in front of him, "Arigatou."

"How are you?" Oishi asked after Tezuka have put on his glasses. "Are you hungry?"

"I'm fine," Tezuka answered, but he must admit that he still is a bit dizzy, and added, "well, I am a bit hungry."

"I'll tell Fuji then," Saeki said, walking towards the door.

"Wait," Tezuka called behind, "I don't thi–"

"Nani?" Saeki turned to him, confused, "But Fuji told Oishi to inform him as soon as you woke up, so that he could prepare some food for you."

"But –"

"No buts Tezuka, you don't want Fuji getting mad at you now, do you?" Oishi told his best friend, "You may go to Fuji now, Saeki."

With that, Saeki turned back to the door and walked out of the room.

Tezuka looked at Oishi and rolled his eyes, how he hated the look Oishi is giving him. Sighing, he asked, "What is it?"

"Do you, for instance, heard what Fuji have been saying before –"

"I don't remember anything, I didn't remember anything as well," Tezuka told him, arranging his pillows so that he could lean back comfortably, "I'm too worked up to hear anything as I was climbing the stairs…besides, I'm not interested."

"Oh, I see…" Oishi said, knowing the last part was a lie.

Then a white furry creature came walking to Tezuka's room and gave a bark.

--- --- ---

TING!

The microwave finally finished heating up the soup. Fuji opened the microwave and took out the bowl inside; he placed it on the table and began putting some on a smaller bowl. Kikumaru and Saeki were sitting at the table, watching him.

"Ne, Fuji," Kikumaru finally spoke up, "why don't you tell him now, nya?"

If Fuji is completely clumsy, he might have accidentally knocked over the soup on the floor, but thankfully, he was not. "Nani?" Fuji asked, surprised, to Kikumaru. "Now? I don't think –"

"I think it's a good idea," Saeki then cut in, smiling.

"Sa-Saeki!"

"Why? It's worth a try," Saeki told him.

Kikumaru nodded, "Hai, I think it will be alright, I can feel it!"

Sighing, Fuji just shook his head.

"I think you really should, to put an end to all of this," Saeki said in a much serious tone, looking straight at Fuji.

Fuji looked back at him as Kikumaru blinked in sudden confusion.

--- --- ---

"Hey, can I come in?" Fuji asked as he peeked through Tezuka's slightly ajar door, holding a bed tray.

"Hai," Oishi answered, standing up to open the door further to let Fuji in easily.

"Oh, Rain's here," Fuji said, noticing the puppy sitting at Tezuka's lap as he placed the tray at Tezuka's desk.

"He went in here awhile ago," Oishi told Fuji, going to the door, "I'll leave you two alone, then, should I take Rain outside as well?"

Fuji nodded and Tezuka held the puppy to Oishi. Fuji then waited until Oishi totally left the two of them alone, cocking his head to the side as Oishi left the door slightly ajar. '_Hmm…'_

"I'm glad the puppy's alright," Tezuka said, suddenly.

Fuji then turned to him, smiling. "Shall you eat then?" he asked as he took the bed tray and placed it on Tezuka's bed, in front of Tezuka, he then sat on Tezuka's bed. Opening his eyes, he stared at him, confused, "Why aren't you eating? Should I spoon-feed you?"

"I-Iie," Tezuka answered, taking the spoon and started sipping the newly heated soup.

"You and Rain seem to be getting along well now," Fuji said as he watches Tezuka sip the soup, "I'm getting jealous." He added with the said teasing tone.

Making sure he would not be caught speechless every time Fuji talks that way, he breathed deeply and said, "Don't worry, I'll stay away from him, besides I won't start taking responsibility on it…I hate trouble."

Chuckling, Fuji replied, "I'm didn't say that I'm jealous of you because Rain is starting to like you now."

Putting down the spoon of soup he was about to put to his mouth, narrowing his eyes, he asked, "What exactly are you talking about?"

Sighing, Fuji bit his lower lip and looked away, '_Should I? Should I not?' _he thought to himself. Swallowing, he began, "Well…let's just say that I never thought that Rain, my most lovable pet, would soon be my rival in the end." He finished, staring at the ceiling at biting his lower lip.

"That's confusing," Tezuka said, taking another sip of the soup, "how could my rival be your rival?"

Fuji's eyes widened and quickly turned to Tezuka who was contentedly finishing his soup as if he had not said anything, "Te-Tezuka…"

"I'm finished, you can put this on my table for awhile," Tezuka told Fuji, leaning back. Regaining his composure, Fuji did what he was told; he stood up and took the tray to Tezuka's desk. "Fuji, come back here…"

Fuji turned to him, and said to himself, '_How could he order me around like this?'_ Breathing deeply, he walked back to Tezuka, and asked, "Is there anything else that you need?"

"Hai," Tezuka answered, looking up at him with a mischievous smile that made Fuji narrow his eyes. "Please, sit down," Tezuka asked him, patting the spot that Fuji had seated awhile ago. Fuji sat down without saying anything, still looking away as he starts to feel awkward every second. To his uneasiness, Fuji did not notice Tezuka shifted his position to be closer to him. Not knowing what to do, Fuji felt his hands go cold as Tezuka put a hand on his shoulder and another to his face, making his face look at him.

They stared at each other's eyes; Fuji kept trying to look away from Tezuka's hazel eyes but still ended up staring at them, Tezuka, then, looked intently in Fuji's blue eyes, following their gaze. Fuji bit his lower lip as nervousness starts to get into him, their very close distance starts to suffocate him, he, then, took hold of Tezuka's hand that is holding his face, "Tezuka –"

"I should've told you about this a long time ago…" Tezuka began, interrupting Fuji on what he was about to say, pressing his forehead to Fuji's, his hand that was on Fuji's face had run to Fuji's hair, "But…I only found out about it just these past few days…"

Eyes widened, Fuji unconsciously put his hands to Tezuka's arms.

"I love you, Syusuke…" Tezuka said, eyes closed.

Shocked, Fuji tried to pull away but Tezuka was quick as he captured his lips in a kiss. Giving in, Fuji responded by opening his mouth to let Tezuka's tongue in. As the kiss got deeper, Tezuka leaned back to his pillows, pulling Fuji with him. Finally, as both are gasping for air, the two parted; Fuji, still sitting on the bed, rested his head on Tezuka chest.

"You're such a slowpoke," Fuji said, giggling, as he sat up, "you don't know how hard it is to keep distance with you…you don't know how I die inside, losing myself, just for you to get you to notice me…" he began, tears started to fall from his eyes, "you don't know how I wanted to tell you how I feel ever since I fell in love with you…it's been years, I even got tired of counting…"

Sitting up, Tezuka wrapped Fuji in his arms and kissed his hair, "Gomen…if only I have been wiser…"

Fuji shook his head, as he looked at Tezuka straight in the eyes, and said, "Iie, if only I wasn't scared of how you would feel after, maybe I've already told you how I feel since then…"

"You've always had my eyes on you from the start, I didn't know it myself though," Tezuka told him, smiling, "would you go back to your old self now?"

"I don't know if I still can…" Fuji replies, frowning.

"It doesn't matter," Tezuka assured him as he put Fuji's bangs aside to get the clearer view of his bright blue eyes, "I love you no matter how you are."

"Arigatou," Fuji replied, pulling away and wiped away the tears from his eyes. Smiling, he said, "I love you, Mitsu."

"I love you," Tezuka answered back.

"So, still jealous of Saeki?" Fuji asked, cocking his head to side.

"Ah…" Tezuka trailed off, shifting his position uncomfortably, "you know what, I just realized…you didn't really change that much."

--- --- ---

"Saeki!" Kikumaru turned sharply at the guy behind him.

"Nani? I don't know what they're talking about," Saeki told the pouting redhead in front of him.

"Shhh…" Oishi hissed at him as he gently closed the door, he knows that Fuji is aware that they were just outside but he could not picture Tezuka if ever he found out that he, Kikumaru and Saeki have been eavesdropping. Feeling happy and satisfied, the three of them made their way to the living room and rested themselves on the sofa.

"Nya, that was wonderful, ne, Oishi?" Kikumaru said, snuggling to Oishi.

"E-Eiji!" Oishi exclaimed, getting embarrassed as he see Saeki looking at them from the other side of the sofa.

Laughing, Saeki stood up and said, "Don't mind me, I'll be just in the kitchen, I'm a bit thirsty anyway."

Oishi tried to protest but Saeki had already left the two of them. At the kitchen, he had helped himself at the fridge to get himself a glass of water. Closing the fridge, he drank all the water he had filled his glass. He placed the glass on the sink and noticed a tail wagging from under the table. Kneeling down, he peered under the table and saw Rain on a sitting position.

"There you are," Saeki muttered, taking Rain to his arms. He slumped down on the kitchen floor and held the puppy to his face, and said, "Mission accomplish, ne? You did a great job here, I'll tell your masters to get you a prize, like it?"

The puppy barked enthusiastically.

--- --- ---

It was past one in the morning, Tezuka woke up because of thirst. He walked through the dark and felt the wall for the light's switch. As soon as the lights were on, he turned to his table, only to see a sleeping angel. Fuji was sleeping at Tezuka's table, in front of his laptop that seemed to have hibernated due to the lack of battery. Shaking his head but smiling at the same time, he put on his glasses that was placed beside Fuji's laptop and lifted the prodigy to his bed. After Oishi, Kikumaru and Saeki had left after dinner, Fuji had insisted on working at Tezuka's room saying that he still needs to watch over him in case his fever get worse.

"You're such a baby," Tezuka muttered as he pulled up the blanket to Fuji. He, then, went to the kitchen to get a glass of water. After switching on the light, he got himself a glass and went to the fridge and poured some water in it, after finished drinking he heard a soft bark from the living room. Smirking, he watch as Rain walked towards him. Picking up the black-spotted, white puppy, he held it up with the same level as his head, and said, "Arigatou, I owe you a lot."

With that, he carried the puppy to his room and placed it at the far side of the bed, between the wall and Fuji. Tezuka then, after taking off his glasses, switched off the lights and lied down beside Fuji.

"Sleep well, Rain," he whispered as he leaned over to cover the puppy with the blanket. He then looked at Fuji and kissed his cheek, whispering softly to his ear, "I love you." With that, he wrapped an arm around Fuji's waist and snuggled closely to him, savoring his scent.

--- --- --- --- ---

THE END

--- --- --- --- ---

Additional AN: Well, what do you think? Very long, huh? I hope you like the ending, I'm not even sure if this is the ending that I planned for this story a year ago, just tell me what you think of it. The hardest part was the confession part, hehe, I got really worked up with that. So, that's it, again, please read and review! I promise that I'll write more PoT fics (but I'll be focusing on one-shots – long one-shots, hehe:p), so there, wait for them!


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